


Knife's Edge

by Trivena_Butterfly



Category: Girl Genius (Webcomic)
Genre: Gen, One-Shot, Possible Time Loop, Second Chances, Split-Second Timing, What-If
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-11
Updated: 2021-02-11
Packaged: 2021-03-17 08:41:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 372
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29347578
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Trivena_Butterfly/pseuds/Trivena_Butterfly
Summary: When a sequence of events is balanced down to seconds or less, the smallest mistake can disrupt it. Or, as Martellus learned the hard way,causeit.
Comments: 11
Kudos: 14





	Knife's Edge

**Author's Note:**

> Because my brain keeps throwing scenarios at me that _won't leave me alone_ until I write them down.

“Tch. _Delays_.” I swung the knife that I slipped out of my sleeve, and removed the old ghoul’s head. I didn’t have time for this. The gateway was deeper within the crypts than I’d have liked, the Lady Heterodyne was being infuriatingly unreasonable when I _knew_ she was more intelligent than this, the Baron was on his way, and-

“Tweedle! _Stop!_ ”

\- my annoying cousin and rival was following us, just like last time. He’d proven to be far more of a threat than I’d believed possible, and I would have to deal with him at some point. But killing him now would slow me down, not to mention earning Lady Heterodyne’s undying enmity, and I only had moments to… wait. _Last_ time?

Something was wrong. Something had changed in the last- No. I did not have time to analyze whatever had happened. If I didn’t reach that gateway before the Baron landed, then everything I had done up to this moment really _would_ be for nothing.

“What do you think you’re _doing_?!” What does it _look_ like I’m doing, Cousin, taking her to a dance? 

I kept the knife in my hand, and continued running. Whatever had happened, it was giving me a second chance. I would _not_ make the same mistakes as before; thankyou, Cousin Tarvek, for teaching me _that_ much.

I charged through the portal a matter of moments ahead of the small party pursuing us, Lady Heterodyne still kicking and screaming under my arm. On the other side was the welcoming party that I had expected the first time, that had given up and disbanded when the time field was established over Mechanicsburg and we had failed to emerge. This time, _this_ time it was all going according to plan. I had the advantage, and I was going to use it.

Behind us, the gateway closed down, its bizarre geometries ceasing to strain the eyes and minds of anybody who tried to look at it for too long. Seconds passed, and it remained dim; nobody emerged.

“Lady Heterodyne,” I said, politely putting her back on her feet and unobtrusively returning my knife to its hidden sheath. “Welcome to the Refuge of Storms. We have matters we need to discuss.”

**Author's Note:**

> If Martellus hadn't stopped to knife Tarvek, he would have made it through the Mirror _before_ the Baron set off the timestop bomb, and Tarvek, Violetta and Krosp would have a very short window to get past the Abbess while the gate was still open. If they can't make it through in time, all three of them are trapped in Mechanicsburg, but Tarvek is alive and not poisoned, meaning Gil will have a _slightly_ easier time getting him out two and a half years later ("slightly" because he's now much deeper underground after following Tweedle into the crypts). Martellus succeeds in kidnapping Agatha as planned, avoiding the timeskip, but he has just a touch more insight than the first time around, and it's not nearly as disastrous.
> 
> After that? I have no idea. AU free to good home!


End file.
